Douay Bible
I recently came across a passage in the Douay-Rheims Bible (Genesis 13) where God is punishing the serpant for his role in the temptation of Adam and Eve and it says, "...she shall crush your head and you shall strike her heel..." All other versions that I have read/heard say either, "...he shall crush your head and you shall strike her heel..." or "...he shall crush your head and you shall strike his heel..."
I am confused as to which version is correct and I would appreciate any help.
Thanks,
QUESTION from Maria on December 9, 2003
Maria
ANSWER by Staff on December 12, 2003
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Dear Maria: Essentially both versions can be correct. The reason that the Douay Bible renders "SHE shall bruise your head" is that is the way St. Jerome reads that passage. The Douay Rheims Bible is translated into English from the Jerome Latin Vulgate. Reading the passage either way we can come to a similar conclusion. When addressing "she shall bruise" this refers to the Blessed Virgin who's offspring will defeat Satan. If we use "he shall bruise" it refers to the offspring who will crush Satan's head. Some theologians remark that this refers to all the descendents of Eve and thus the pronoun should be "they" and not "he". Understood in the light of further and full revelation, however, the Church identifies the woman as Mary, the new Eve, and the offspring as Jesus, the new Adam. Jesus does indeed crush Satan's head, but we can also say Mary does too since through Mary Jesus was born into this world. Thus it is truly the case that through a woman Satan would find his defeat. This, by the way, is one of the reasons Satan hates women so much.
God Bless, |